18.2-438 - Bribes to officers or candidates for office.

§ 18.2-438. Bribes to officers or candidates for office.

If any person corruptly give, offer or promise to any executive, legislativeor judicial officer, sheriff or police officer, or to any candidate for suchoffice, either before or after he shall have taken his seat, any gift orgratuity, with intent to influence his act, vote, opinion, decision orjudgment on any matter, question, cause or proceeding, which is or may bethen pending, or may by law come or be brought before him in his officialcapacity, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony and shall forfeit to theCommonwealth any such gift or gratuity given. This section shall also applyto a resident of this Commonwealth who, while temporarily absent therefromfor that purpose, shall make such gift, offer or promise.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-278; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1978, c. 123.)